Lakers back off trade talks, avoid making deadline day deal

That may not be such a horrible thing, given that they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But after spending the past month or so exploring trades, the Lakers avoided making a deal on deadline day Thursday.

Instead, they will try to make another playoff run as currently constructed — though they most definitely will survey the free agent and buyout markets over the next week or so.

Per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report/TNT, the Lakers intend to get as far as they can this year, then reassess over the summer.

“The probable path for Los Angeles Lakers is standing pat at the trade deadline with potential to acquire another star player in the offseason when armed with three first-round picks,” Haynes wrote about an hour before the 3 p.m. EST deadline.

The Lakers (27-25) have won three straight entering Thursday night’s matchup with the defending champion Denver Nuggets — who swept Los Angeles from the Western Conference Finals last season. 

James recently suggested he was fine with it if the Lakers did nothing. 

“It’s not a question for me,” James told reporters when asked if LA needed to find help at the deadline, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I love who we have in the locker room. And that’s all I worry about.”

“… We’re going to go out and prepare ourselves every single night no matter what it is. No matter who’s out on this team. No matter what.”